Nemesia plant named ‘Inuprasp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Inuprasp’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and continuous flowering habit; numerous large red purple-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Inuprasp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesiaplant, botanically known as Nemesia hybrid and referred to by the name‘Inuprasp’.

The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventors in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the program is tocreate new strong Nemesia cultivars with numerous flowers and uniqueflower colors.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors of an unnamed Nemesia fructicans selection, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with an unnamed Nemesia strumosa selection,not patented during the summer of 2001. The cultivar Inuprasp wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inGensingen, Germany during the summer of 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany since June, 2002, has shownthat the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Nemesia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Inuprasp’ and distinguish‘Inuprasp’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   3. Early and continuous flowering habit.    -   4. Numerous large red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have white to soft pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia flower for a longer period of time        than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivarInupyel, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/174,976.In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Nemesia differed primarilyfrom plants of the cultivar Inupyel in flower color as plants of thecultivar Inupcream had bright yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘Inuprasp’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Inuprasp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoornursery during the spring with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 21° C. Afterrooting, plants were grown for ten weeks in 15-cm containers with oneplant per container. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrid cultivar Inuprasp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed Nemesia fructicans selection, not            patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed Nemesia strumosa selection, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About two weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading;            inverted triangle. Freely branching, typically about ten            primary lateral branches; numerous secondary and tertiary            lateral branches. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Appearance: Square in cross-section with            longitudinal ridges. Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Shape:            Lanceolate to elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.            Length: About 4.7 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm. Margin: Serrate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Petiole length: About            5 mm. Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing and            fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 146A; venation, 146B.            Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 146B;            venation, 146B. Petiole, upper surface: 146B. Petiole, lower            surface: 146C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Zygomorphic solitary flowers            arranged on loose terminal racemes; flowering acropetally            towards apex. Flowers bilabiate with nectar spur. Flowers            face upright and outward. Flowers last about four to five            days on the plant. Flowers not persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; natural            flowering season is spring to fall; flowering continuous            during this period.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering with about 30 to 35            flower buds and open flowers per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Sweet, spicy.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 12 cm to 13 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid with spur. Length including spur:            About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: 65C to 65D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement/shape: Five petals in a single whorl.            Four upper petals are fused at base to form an upright lobed            and arched banner lip; lower petal modified into a larger            lip with nectar spur and central protuberance which serves            as pollinator nectar guide and landing platform. Apex:            Rounded. Margin: Entire. Length: Upper lip petals: About            8 mm. Lower lip petal: About 1.2 cm. Width: Upper lip            petals: About 7 mm to 9 mm. Lower lip petal: About 2 cm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color:            When opening, upper surface: 68D. When opening, lower            surface: 69B. Fully opened, upper surface: 64B; towards the            base, 79B; color becoming closer to 77C with development.            Fully opened, lower surface: 70B; towards the base, 75B.            Nectar guide: 28B. Nectar spur: 23C to 23D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Five-parted, star-shaped calyx. Shape:            Elliptic to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 147A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture: Smooth. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to about            45° from the stem axis. Color: 144A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Texture: Pubescent, minute. Strength: Strong. Angle: About            30° to 45° from the stem. Color: 145A.        -   Androecium.—Stamen number: Four per flower. Anther shape:            Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 15B.            Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 15A.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 3 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 145D.            Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145D. Ovary color:            145C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed            on plants of the new Nemesia.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Nemesias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about 35°    C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant named ‘Inuprasp’, asillustrated and described.